1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to coke oven batteries generally and more particularly to apparatus for catching and transporting hot coke after it is pushed from a chamber of the coke oven battery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A coke oven battery comprises a series of side-by-side coking chambers that extend transversely from the common front line of the battery. Conventionally, tracks extend parallel with the battery for carrying the coke that is produced away from the battery. Thus the coke that is produced in the coke oven battery is discharged from the coking chamber at the discharge side, by way of a conventional coke guide, is fed to a coke receiving car on the tracks.
The coke discharged from the coking chamber is in a glowing state. The coke is quenched or cooled rapidly, usually by water, to prevent oxidation of the coke.
Large amounts of dust and smoke tend to be produced when the coke is discharged from the coking chamber and large amount of steam tend to be produced (and to entrain small particles of coke) when the coke is quenched. Efforts have been made to prevent the dust, smoke and particles from entering the ambient atmosphere and from creating pollution problems.
The coke receivers or cars have generally been of rectangular or box-like configuration. Attempts have been made to develop cars having a coke receiver that is drum-like in configuration. Johannes Lorrek, U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,436, "Apparatus For Receiving Coke Pushed From Horizontal Coke Ovens," describes a movable vehicle that supports a drum-like receiver for the coke; the drum has an axis that is parallel to the axis of the coking chamber but perpendicular to the coke oven battery and the line of travel of the vehicle on the tracks. Walter Cremer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,844, "Apparatus For Quenching Coke From Horizontal Coke Ovens," describes a drum-like receiver that has an axis that is parallel to the line of the coke oven battery and the line of travel of the vehicle on the tracks but is perpendicular to the axis of the coking chambers.
The foregoing patents describe apparatus that is complex and expensive. Each has a self-contained housing that removes dust and particles and each has its own spray system, within the drum, for quenching the coke. U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,436 utilizes lifting units operable upon the rotation of the drum for discharging the coke, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,844 shows the axis of the drum inclined with respect to the vehicle's line of travel with rotation of the drum moving the coke from a receiving end of the drum to a discharge end.
The present invention provides a simple car having a drum whose axis is parallel with the line of travel of the car and parallel with the horizon. The drum rotates through a limited arc. The receiver is operable with conventional gas and dust removal equipment, quenching stations and coke wharfs.